FIV+ cat

[leb72793]

Hello,
I'm new here and trying to get a start, so sorry for the long thread. I recently found out my almost 11 year old cat is FIV+. It came as a big shock to us because he in not violent and has never attacked any other cats. Never been in a fight, and none of our other cats have FIV. He was even tested for FIV and FELV about 4 years ago and had a negative result. I have been in constant contact with his vet especially since I work at his vet office, but I am running into a little bit of a dip when it comes to his nutrition. He still has a very good appetite, but his Diagnosis came up after he has already lost all his teeth. He uses his tongue to manipulate any food he gets so he has been on an all soft food diet. He has had some other health concerns come up as a result even as far as the doctor having a fear of him having FIP as well. We have tried both pate and chunk foods, and he is good until the gravy is gone, and then the food just sticks to the plate and he can't get it. He has an easier time when pieces of lunch meat or other food is put in front of him on his blanket though. I know he's not getting enough to eat still because he randomly gets up at 3am and suddenly V+ light gravy colored bile, but is fine the rest of the day. I am wanting to set up him having a nutritional diet that gives him what he needs as well as making it easier for him to gum and manipulate to get more in his system. Like I said I keep in close contact with his vet on caring for him especially with this coming about,and I will be talking to her about this as well, but just needing a little extra nudge on maybe a home cooked diet to give him to try and get him the nutrients he needs as well as stop his tummy from being so upset. Any help would be aprrecitaed.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I know others can advise on supplements that might be helpful with an FIV+ cat. But re: food. With my cat, who despite having all her teeth, still licks/laps at pate food (won't eat chunky food but can eat human pieces of food quite easily), that the only way to keep her eating them is to pile and re-pile the food after she flattens it out, with a bit of added water each time. If I don't do this, she will stop eating it. If I do this, she will gladly eat more. Trying paper plates, or other forms of more porous dishes might be helpful too.

I also feed her baby food meat (Gerber Stage 2 or Beechnut) that - all but the chicken flavor (due to the calcium content) - can have EZ Complete added to make them nutritionally complete. She seems not to have a problem with them at all.

This supplement can also be used with raw/cooked homemade foods too.
EZComplete Premix Information (foodfurlife.com)

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

One of my cats has very few teeth left, but can still munch on all kinds of food. Many cats with no teeth still eat kibble with no issue. Most cats who eat kibble don't actually chew it, just swallow it whole, so you might give this a try if he used to eat it. Otherwise, you could try adding just a little bit of water to it to make it softer, but that might make it stick to the bowl. As mentioned above, feeding him on a different surface might be just the ticket, even a washcloth if a paperplate doesn't work. You can even feed pate on a washcloth, then wash and dry it and use it again.

For the 3 a.m. vomiting, have you tried feeding him right before bedtime? This might help. Or have you tried giving him something like Pepcid A/C in case it's excess stomach acid? Of course, discuss this with your Vet.

For my guy with few teeth, I actually feed him wet food most of the time, but for overnight, I leave out a bowl of freeze dried raw (not rehydrated) that he nibbles on throughout the night. I personally feel better feeding that than kibble because it's more of what a cat in the wild would eat even though it's freeze dried rather than a live animal. To me it's much healthier. But my point is, he has no problem picking up each piece with his tongue and them either gumming it or swallowing it whole. I do admit that if there are larger pieces, I break them up before setting the bowl out . The things we do for our cats

 

[di and bob]

I really believe in DMG, and LifeGold, available at any pet med site, Amazon, and Walmart online. It is an immune builder supplement. My cats were diagnosed with leukemia, FeLV, and one was given 'days' to live. They are still here 3 1/2 years later! I keep Delectable Lickables in the stew flavors around for them to give their medicine in and to give to them if they lose their appetite. You might try it, it has a gel-like consistency. He might leave the little chunks, but maybe not if you mash them with a fork. You might try to see if he likes any other lickable treats. Watering down his wet food to a lickable state might help too. If he has made it to 11 years ole, he might be able to fight it off like my cats.

 

[misty8723]

Can you test him again? It doesn't seem likely if none of your other cats have it and he hasn't been outside around other cats. I was told that they need to do two tests, I've forgotten how far apart.